Alexandria Jones Goes Missing
by bookminion
Summary: Alexandria is 7 yrs old, and has been wished away. Will her father be able to overcome the Labyrinth, and the Goblin Kingwho has met his match in more ways than one. This story gives you a double whammy of the guy we love so muchread, and understand.
1. Manhattan Steps into Summer

I own myself, and that is enough.

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Name: Alexandria

Age: 7

Favorite Color: pruple

Favorite Book: 14 Bears

Favorite Animal: Daddy

The crayoned list hung crookedly over the couch. Its wooden frame slipped and caught perilously close to falling as the floor shook. Hideous screams resonated through the house. Outside the windows, Manhattan was stepping into summer, and no one heard. Finally, as the picture sailed from the wall and slid behind the couch, the screaming turned to breathy giggles.

"Ha," Alexandria said, flushed and still giggling "You can't get me again!"

She watched with fascinated interest as her father, transformed into a fierce monster, crouched on the floor, snarling a little, and inching closer, ready to pounce. The seven year old backed up slowly, ready to break for the hallway, but unwilling to provoke another 'attack.'

Slowly, slowly…

Another scream echoed through the apartment as the monster sprang. Alexandria shrieked with laughter and kicked out wildly as her father tickled her mercilessly. One kick caught him in the midriff and left him breathless for a few moments. She wriggled away industriously, but a long arm held her firmly around her middle.

"Oooh, you're in trouble now," he threatened "I am especially angry now."

Alexandria giggled irreverently. And attempted her escape.

"You're really wearing me out," he said, under his breath, and resumed the tickling.

53 years stretched between the father and daughter. At sixty, you might look better than most people do at forty…but you are still sixty years old.

"Mean-meanie!" she said, and swiped at his nose.

With a final desperate effort, she squirmed away.

"You're never going to get me," she said confidently, smoothing her t-shirt with one hand.

"Are you sure?" He curled his lip in a horrible way.

There was a mad scramble. After a few minutes, and a lot of screaming and growling, Alexandria Jones was being carried off to bed, upside down, over her father's shoulder. She pounded on his back vigorously.

"A-ha, I have you!" he said "It is time for bed Alex, so stop trying to kick me in the head and you can read me a story."

Suddenly cunning, Alexandria switched her tactic, and relaxed, becoming a bony sandbag that succeeded in slipping from her 'enemy's' grasp.

"Carry me to bed," she said impishly from the floor, and held out her arms.

"Oh Lexi," he grumbled, swinging her into his arms "Sometimes I wish the goblins would come and take you away."

She pinched his nose cheerfully.

"Say all of it." she said "And I'll pinch your nose."

He laughed, and spoke in exaggerated nasally tones.

"I wish the goblins would come and take you away," he said "Right now."

And in the moment, she was gone. He almost tripped over his own feet; surprised by the sudden loss of weight in his arms.

"Lexi?" he said, idiotically, as if she had pulled the same trick and wiggled her way from his grasp.

Somehow, from a summer city, there came a strong blast of winter air. A bang, like an opening---or closing---door came from nowhere. He turned, feeling something squeeze his heart like a vise.

In the absolute familiarity of your own home, it is difficult to be easily frightened. So when, instead of his seven year old daughter, he saw a tall, extravagantly dressed stranger leaning one hand against the wall, he didn't even stop to think to be afraid.

"What the hell are you doing in my house?" he demanded.

The stranger widened his eyes in mock surprise.

"Shoot the messenger." he said, sadly "I'm just here to give the terrible news that I--" he flourished a hand "Have taken you seriously."

"Look," the outraged man replied through clenched teeth "I don't give a damn about your theatrics. What have you and your f-g friends done with my daughter?"

Even in the midst of his anger, he felt a strange recognition, an almost sickening realization. Something also flickered over the stranger's face, and he leaned closer. In one moment, the thought exploded in each of their heads. Twin-colored eyes---one blue and one brown---matched in either face.

"My God," the stranger said, still managing a mocking tone "I've found my twin---in a human!"

David Bowie and Jareth, King of the Goblins, stood face to face.


	2. He Even Got the Gloves

Disclaimer: I don't own enough of anything.

Note: Alexandria Zahra Jones is the actual name of David Bowie's daughter. She is (or should be soon) seven years old. The nicknames used "Alex" and "Lexi" are her actual nicknames. I attempt to keep to fact as much as possible, although I have no idea what David Bowie wears when he is not attempting to freak people out or make millions selling music.

My BB (best buddy) told me that I needed more friggin' description. I told her that she used too much. She wouldn't budge. So I'm ignoring her, and posting the bloody chapter.

She's probably right.

Chapter Two

He Even Got the Gloves

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In that moment of surprise, David knew he had to act. But in almost the same instant, Jareth causally grabbed his arm, and spun him, face first, into the wall. It wasn't meant to break anything, it wasn't even meant to hurt. His very light hearted air simply helped to let his strange match know how much he could do--if he wanted.

"Twin in more than looks, then," Jareth said into his ear "I almost didn't think that you would."

"Gloves."

Jareth stepped away, and looked at the man. He was older, tall, his height, built sparely, dark blond hair cut short. He wore blue jeans and a black wife beater that said "NOW" across the front. His face, so eerily similar to Jareth's own, wasn't angry. But incredulous.

"You even got the bloody gloves." he said, in disbelief.

The Goblin king smiled---and the next moment found a fist in his mouth.

"You give my daughter back," David growled, feeling a flush of satisfaction as his opponent staggered back "I don't need more of your games. I've had it with your stupid stunts, I don't care about your obsession with me, or my family."

At that moment, Jareth did something that he rarely did---not really. He lost his temper. This was a human, granted, a human that looked like him, but he should never have even let that distract him.

"I do not give a damn about you, or your family." he spat "You wished your daughter away, I did not force myself upon you, you, instead, disturbed the peace of my realm by doing a very stupid thing."

He flung his arm out and the apartment seemed to drop away or dissolve, revealing a flaming orange landscape dotted with a few scrawny trees. Far, far in the distance, a building or something commanded the horizon. A dry wind stirred a handful of leaves around the Goblin King's feet. In spite of his anger, he enjoyed the look on David's face.

After no response, Jareth continued.

"You know, most people who come to my Labyrinth are the same. Fairly stupid, and sometimes greedy or foolish, but they don't question who I am, or---" a smile twitched at the corner of his mouth "what I am. There, it is real, you can get real dirt under your fingernails."

Finally, finding his voice---

"What about the crystals?" David asked sarcastically "I suppose that you've got three or four around. When do you start waving them around and asking me if I'd rather have my dreams than my daughter?"

Jareth shook his head. He almost seemed distant, more interested in the distant city…labyrinth…than the desperate human who stood, on the edge of Manhattan, NY, and a land that only existed in an old cult film. A film where he had played Jareth.

"You are not a seventeen year old girl, now are you?" he said "I can play party tricks for you, if you want, but you don't. There's no real choice here. You want your daughter, you will attempt to retrieve her, and in the end, you will not succeed. Tragic, but in the end, I'm only giving you what you wanted."

He pointed a hand and the face of a clock, shockingly white against the gnarled oak that held it, seemed to appear. Maybe it had been there all along. There was no way to tell.

"And I have thirteen hours before my daughter becomes one of you---a goblin, whatever---forever."

David didn't know it, but the open hallway---New York---was gone. The moment anyone decided to risk the Labyrinth, any other option vanished.

Something in his mocking defiance nettled Jareth, in a way that no one ever had, not even---yes, not even Sarah. Because he had loved Sarah, even her defiance.

"Who knows," he said, suddenly only inches away, eyes flat and glittering, like a cats "I might even make it a challenge for you."

There was no swirl of light, or gradual fading away. Jareth was there, and suddenly he was not. 


End file.
